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recession

It’s been a rough few months for a lot of people. The economy is in nosedive, fuel and food prices are rising, and no one is unaffected by any of it. This last week, we’ve heard more about redundancies in the gaming sector. Mythic, THQ, and there will be more. I read about them with a sinking heart.

It’s not a happy time. And no one is safe any more, that’s the one thing you get from a recession. No one can be sure of what the future holds for them.

I wish I had good stories to tell about hope and strength over adversity. But I do know that there have been times when I’ve been down in real life — when my father was really ill, when my work was depressing, when other things just weren’t going right — and I could log on and escape from it for a few hours. I could be welcomed by a friendly guild and be in touch with other human beings, albeit dressed up as orcs and trolls. I could spend time with my sisters, even though they were physically in different continents.

People are very down on escapism, as if it was somehow wrong to want to set aside your burdens for awhile and go and have fun. But it’s driven art and music and literature for generations. It can help us to deal with our real lives, not just to run away from them. And just that feeling that other people are out there, that you’re not alone with whatever troubles you, and that you can take some time out from it whether it’s with your friends down the pub, your guild in a game, your family, religious community, whatever it takes; human beings are social animals and that means something very important to us.

And in a world where we’re more likely than ever to be geographically separated from family and friends, sometimes being in an online game is the closest you can get. Closer than many people will ever realise.

Have a good weekend all, cherish your guildies/ friends. And I wish I was better at these emotional posts. (On the bright side, I probably won’t do it again :) )